Doing things as a family is fun, especially if those things make all of your members a little more healthy. September 25th is National Family Health and Fitness Day, making this month a great time to foster healthy habits like eating well and engaging in plenty of physical activity.

Of course, convincing your children to make healthy choices isn’t always easy. The good news is, getting everyone on board can make a healthy lifestyle fun for the whole family! Here are some tips to help your family focus on good nutrition and fun family fitness all month (and year) long.

Easy tips for healthy eating

  • Skip the sugary snacks in favor of healthier options like fruit, yogurt, or nuts. Remove unhealthy foods from your home to keep them out of sight and out of mind (and out of reaching hands.)
  • Grow a family garden or build a window box to get your kids excited about eating the fruits and veggies they’ve watched sprout from seedlings.
  • Blend fruits and veggies into breakfast foods like waffles or pancakes for a secret serving that’s low in taste but high in nutritional value.
  • Plan your meals in advance so you aren’t wandering aimlessly down the grocery store aisles. You’re also less likely to turn to fast food or frozen pizza if you have a healthy plan in place.

Ideas for Fun Family Fitness

Schedule a weekly sport or game night. If your kids enjoy organized activities, set aside a day each week for a fun family game of football, frisbee, soccer, or anything else that gets your group moving. If you have small children, consider showing them some old-school games like Tag or Redlight/Greenlight!

Break out the bikes. Biking is a fun, low-impact exercise that can be enjoyed by people of all ages and abilities. You can ride around your neighborhood, find a local bike path, or blaze a trail to areas unknown. Just don’t forget your helmets and brush up on proper safety tips before you go!

Take a family swim. If your weather is still warm enough for swimming, plunge into a pool or lake for fun family games like Marco Polo, Freeze Tag, or Chicken Fights. Be sure to slather on plenty of sunscreen for healthy, happy skin!

Go on a walk. Family fitness doesn’t have to be fancy. Going on a walk through your local park or nature trails is a great way to spend time together while moving your muscles. You can even include Fido in your family fun!

Train for an event. Working towards a common goal can be a major source of motivation. Find a future 5K or other fitness event and train together every week to get ready for Race Day. You’ll win even if you don’t bring home a medal!